Connector for Microsoft Dynamics is an integration solution which is targeted specifically at the Microsoft Dynamics product family. Connector provides an out of the box integration between Dynamics CRM and Dynamics ERP solutions.

Welcome to the Connector for Microsoft Dynamics blog

Welcome to the blog that will be used by the Connector for Microsoft Dynamics team to provide you with the latest information about the product. Check back often to stay informed on the latest news, tips and tricks and customer stories about Connector.

Let's start with the basics. You may be wondering what the Connector is? The Connector for Microsoft Dynamics, was released more than a year ago, to help customers who are using Dynamics CRM (either online or on-premise) integrate it with their Dynamics ERP solution. In this case, by Dynamics ERP, we mean Dynamics GP, Dynamics NAV and Dynamics AX. Out of the box, we provide you with baseline integrations that will help you move customer information, inventory and pricing information and sales order between the two systems. Using a web service to web service integration on a scheduled basis, the data moves seamlessly between the two solutions, helping you keep the two systems in sync. Plus, it's easy to modify the baseline integrations to better match how you do business. You can easily synchronize additional fields, adjust the length of time between schedules, or do deeper modifications using the Connector SDK.

The integration is comprised of an NT Service that binds together web services for both Microsoft Dynamics CRM and the Microsoft Dynamics ERP to read and write data. The integration service also leverages a transform engine to convert the data between the interfaces to ensure that the data moving between the two systems is compatible and in correct form. Data integrated with Connector is bi-directional. In a few cases, it's assumed that the Dynamics ERP is the system of record.

In addition, third-party developers and partners who want to extend the functionality of the Connector for Microsoft Dynamics, can use the Connector SDK, which contains documentation, templates, and sample code.

Yes, to get a license key for CRM-AX Connector, you need to place an "order" with your Dynamics partner for Connector. There will be no charge, but the order process is now the registration/license keys are generated.

Hello, there are settings listed in the documentation that you can apply outside of the adapter settings window that will allow you autenticate through a proxy when connecting to CRM online. You might also want to talk with your Proxy server's administrator to determine why the authorization is not working as expected.

If you are unable to find these setup steps, our support team has walked customers and partners through this scenario before and I would encourage you to contact support regarding this configuration as there could certainly be other networking related options that you will need to consider and our support professials can certainly help you work through those as well as this one.

@Jack DS – in Connector's users guide the steps for setting up CRM duplicate detection are outlined. It is encouraged that users do this before running the initial sync in an effort to avoid the scenario that you are describing. Connector fully understands CRM's duplicate detection mechanism and can respond properly when a duplicate is detected by CRM and update – rather than create – the supplied instance.

From what I can tell it doesn't read that it updates possible duplicate instead of creating a new, I just think at the most it would not create the customer in CRM.

A problem if it did update is that there can be many duplicate rules and more people sometimes have the rights to create duplicate detection rules.

Setting up duplicate detection

Before you integrate Microsoft Dynamics NAV and Microsoft Dynamics CRM, you may have duplicate records between the two applications. For example, if you have entered Daniel Brunner as a contact in Microsoft Dynamics CRM and also as a customer in Microsoft Dynamics NAV, you have duplicate records for Daniel Brunner.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM allows users to enter duplicate records, with duplicate keys, for Microsoft Dynamics CRM accounts and contacts. This can cause problems when the integration service tries to integrate the records.

If duplicated records are not identified before you integrate Microsoft Dynamics CRM contacts or accounts with your Microsoft Dynamics NAV customers, you will end with four records for the same person between the two applications.

Set up duplicate detection jobs and rules in Microsoft Dynamics CRM for the account and customer entities to prevent these duplicate record issues.

It is suggested that you use one of the options listed below that are available in Microsoft Dynamics CRM to keep duplicates from entering the system in the first place. See your Microsoft Dynamics CRM documentation for additional details.

Set up Microsoft Dynamics CRM duplicate detection rules In Microsoft Dynamics CRM, set up or modify duplicate detection rules for the entities to integrate. Click Settings > Data Management > Duplicate Detection Rules. The default duplicate detection rules are listed. Use the duplicate detection rules for accounts or contacts using attributes and criteria that make sense for your business rules. Duplicate detection rules in Microsoft Dynamics CRM are based on contact e-mail addresses by default, and the Connector for Microsoft Dynamics maps e-mail addresses based on accounts or customers.

Set up Microsoft Dynamics CRM duplicate detection jobs In Microsoft Dynamics CRM, set up duplicate detection jobs for the entities to integrate. Click Settings > Data Management > Duplicate Detection Jobs. Add a job to catch duplicates and notify someone in your organization for each entity you want to integrate.

@Jack DS – I can see how you might be confusseed slightly by this documentation – since it does not explictly state that the connectot will update rather than not create a duplicate entry. It defiantely will update an entity that is flagged as a duplicate. If you would like to suggest a better wording for this documentation entry, please enter a feature request at:

This failed order should have an event associated with it in the Log. If you open the event, you will see that there is a link to reset the number of retries which will attempt to re-integrate just the specific order.

The Connector SDK is available for download on the same “Connector for Microsoft Dynamics” page. There is a section titled “Software Development Kit (SDK)” which has a link to the SDK. Search for SDK on this blog for more info on the SDK itself.